le count



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. J. LE COUNT. SEWING MACHINE.

No. 264,887. I lPaiented Sept. 26, 1882.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N. PEmzs. Photo-Lithographer. Wlihinglun. 0.0.

3 S'heets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

T. J. LE "COUNT,

SEWING MACHINE.

No. 264,887. Patented Sept. 26 1882.

IINVENTDR:

.E S S E N H. W

4; c am/Q ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, mwn umn n hur. Washingtun. D. C,

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

T. J. LE COUNT.

SEWING MACHINE.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Nv Pains Phalo-Lilhngnpher. Washiughm. D. c.

y 3 Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional elevabottom of the plate F at the bend of this U- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. LE COUNT, OF NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF SIX-EIGHTHS TO JOSEPH A. KINGSBURY AND JOHN G. P. HOLDEN, OF YONKERS, N. Y.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,887, dated September 26, 1882.

7 Application tiled December 12, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: low arm 0, and this needle-bar is pivoted to Be it known that I, THOMAS J. LE COUNT, a fork, I), pivoted to a crank, I), on the end of of the city, county, and State of- New York, a horizoritalshalt,D, journaled in the horizonhave invented a new and Improved Sewingtal part of the arm 0, and provided at its op-.

5 Machine, of which the followingis at'ull, clear, posite end with a bevel-gear wheel, d, engagand exact description. ing with a bevel-gear Wheel, (1 on the upper The invention consists in a sewing-machine end of a vertical shaft, D, guided in the verin which the power is transmitted from the tical part 0 of the arm 0, and connected by a treadle-shaft to the needle-bar, shuttle-lever, universal joint, 0, with a squared rod, D pass- 10 and feed directly by means of shafts and gearin g through the squared aperture of a. sleeve, ing, thereby avoiding the use of bolts and pul- D held loosely in a bearing, at, projecting leys, which rods and gearing are partly confrom the arm (1, which sleeve 1) is provided tained in an arm hinged on the top plate, which at its lower end with a bevel-gear wheel, 0, arm can be tilted to facilitate fastening the engaging with a bevel-gear wheel, 0 on the 1 needle and other sewing attachments. In orend of the horizontal crank-shaft E, provided der topermit tiltingthisarm,theverticaldrivewith a fly-wheel, E, and operated by means rod is provided with a universal joint, and the of a treadle or a motor of any desired or suitapart below the joint is squared and slides in a ble construction. The rod D passes loosely sleeve with a squared aperture. through the aperture of the sleeve D and can 20 The invention further consists in a novel be raised and lowered on the sleeve, but will thread-spool holder, in devices for adjusting always turn with this sleeve. the tension of the thread, and in the combina- The sleeve D is provided at its upper end tion and arrangement of parts in themachine, with a gear-wheel, a engaging with a gearas will be fully described and set forth hereinwheel, 0, journal in a frame, a, and made inte- 2 5 after. gral with a bevel-gear wheel, c,engagingwith Reference is to be had to the accompanying a bevel-gear wheel, f, on a shaft, f, 'journaled drawings,forming part of this specification,in in lugs g, projecting from the bottom of the which similar letters of reference indicate corbed-plate F. The other endof the shaft f is responding parts in all the figures. provided with a bevel-gear wheel, f engag- 0 Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of my ing with a bevel-gear wheel, g, made integral 8o improved sewing-machine, parts being shown with a larger bevel-gear wheel, 9 engaging broken out and in section. Fig. 2 is a plan with a bevel gear wheel, 9 on the end of the view of the under side ofthe bed-plate with shaft h, journaled horizontally below the sewparts in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ing-plate G of the machine and operating the 35 sewing-plate having parts broken out to show feeding mechanism, which will be described 8 5 the feeding mechanism. Fig. 4 is a crossseclater. tional elevation of my improved sewing-ma- A connecting-rod, H, is pivoted to the top chine on the line a: a), Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a crossof the wheel e, and is also pivoted to the short sectional elevation of the same on the line y 3 end of a Ushaped lever, H, pivoted to the tion of the same on the line .2 ea, Fig. 1. Fig. shaped lever. The longer arm of the lever H 7 shows longitudinal elevations of the parts is provided with a slot, j, through which a pin forming the shuttle, showing these parts disor stud, it, passes, projecting from the bottom connected. Fig. 8 is a plan viewof the shutof the shuttle-carrier J, which slides in a slot,

5 tle, showing the parts united. Fig. Qisacross- J, of the plate F. This shuttle-carrier J is 5 sectional elevation of the same on the line 2; 1:, provided in thelongitudinal edges with grooves Fig. 8. i, into which the horizontal guide-tracks t The needle A is secured in the lower end of pass. The shuttle-carrier J is provided with the needle-bar B, guided by an aperture in the the end arms, j, and the outer side arm or lug, 50 lower end of the head P at the end of the hol; j between which the shuttle K is placed. too

I The movement of this shuttle-carrier J is at right angles to the movement of the feeding devices.

The shuttle K is formed of two sections, K and K which, when united, form the shuttle. The section K is very flat, and only contains -an anti-friction roller, it, over which the shuttle-thread passes. The section K is deeper and is adapted to contain an ordinary spool,

J, of thread, silk, &c., which is held between an adjustable studded plate, R and a plate having stud k surrounded by-a spiral spring, It, and fitting into a socket-piece, l, pivoted iu the front end of the section, K this spring pressing the stud k into the end of the spool J Theplate k can be adjusted a greater or less distance from the end of the section K by means of a screw, l, and corresponding nut, Z according to the size of the spool J To remove the spool, the plate of the stud k is pushed back, whereby the spring is is compressed so as to permit drawing the stud 10 out of the end of the spool, upon which the socket-piece l is swung upward, and the spool is removed. The spool is placed in the section K byperformingthe above movements in the inverse order. The shuttle thread passes through suitable openings in the sides of the section K, as shown in Fig. 9.

The sections K K of the shuttle are held together by an L-shaped hook, P, at the rear end of the section K, and catching under the edge of the section K and by a hook, l, at the front end of the section K, and catching on a spring catch or latch, 1 in the front end of the section K That part G of the sewingplate Gr covering the shuttle-race is hinged so that it can be swung outward, as shown in Fig. 4. The shuttle race or groove J is so arranged in relation to the needle A that the shuttle will run so close to the needle that the shuttle can pass through the thread-loop formed by the needle.

I use the four-motion feed generally used in sewing-machines. It consists of a dog or lever, h, pivoted in a slidingframe, W, and provided at its outer end with teeth m, which pass through a slot, m, in the sewing-plate G. This frame k is provided on its under. side' with a p1 ojection, m resting against a beveled cam, m mounted on the shaft h, and the dog It is provided with a projection,m resting on an eccentric cam, m mounted on the shaft h. Springs 12 press the frame h from the needle A,'and the cam m presses it toward the needle, and the cam m raises it, all these parts operating in such a manner that the teeth m, upon which the cloth rests, will be raised and moved toward the needle, then lowered and withdrawn, and so on.

The sliding frame [L2 is provided with two shoulders, n a, which strike against the ends n of a sliding fork, a on the under side of the sewing-plate G at the return movement of the frame h Accordingly as this frame strikes against the ends of the fork n sooner or later, the stitch will be shorter or longer crank 11.

that is, the stitch is regulated by the position.

of this fork n (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.) This fork n can be adjusted by means of a pivoted lever, L, which can be operated by the person operating the machine.

The thread-spool L is held by a pintle, L which is passed longitudinally through the opening of the spool,and is attached to a pivoted arm, 0, pivoted to one end ofa transverse bar or frame, 0, resting on the arm 0, and provided at the opposite end with a pivoted latch, 0 for holding the end of the pintle L after the same has passed through the spool. From the spool L the thread passes through the tension device M, consisting of a fixed disk, 19, and a loose dislgp mounted on a shaft, p, projecting from an arm, p of a standard, M, on the arm 0. The collar or neck of the loose disk 19 is pivoted to a fork, V, which is pivoted to the standard M, and has its lower end pivoted to a rack, r, extendingtransversely across the standard M-that is, in a position parallel with the shaft paud sliding in a grooved track, W. A cog-wheel, M engages with the rack r, and is mounted on a shaft, m journaled parallel with the arm Gin projections or standards on the same, as shown in Fig. 1, and extending to the end of this arm. The end of this 1 shaft M is provided with a hand-wheel, M. The adjoining surfaces of the disks pp are preferably coated with a layer of felt, rubber, 850., to increase friction. By turning the hand-w heel M the rack 0' will be moved longitudinally and the disks p 19 will bepressed together or separated-that is, the friction on the thread is increased or decreased correspondingly. From thetension deviceM the thread I passes through the loop .9 at the upper end of astandard, a, on the arm (Land from this loop to the end of the take-up consisting of a lever, n, pivoted to the standard a and actuated by a connecting-rod, n pivoted to the lever n and resting on a cam, 0, mounted on the shaft D, adjoining the From the take-up lever the thread passes through the loops or eyelets P P on the head P, and from there through the eye of the needle. The presser-foot Q is attached to a vertical rod, Q, guided. in projections Q of the head and surrounded and pressed downward by a spring, It.

To the upper end of the rod Q, an arm, R, is pivoted, provided with a pin, t, passing into the curved slot t of a hand-lever, R pivoted to the head P, and serving to raise the presser-foot.

The bridge S and screw Sare to be used for attaching quilters, corders, 850., to the head. A bevel-gear wheel, T, is mounted on the shaft D about midway between the cam O and cogwheel d, and engages with a cog-wheel, T, mounted on a shaft, T at right angles to the shaft D and projecting from the arm 0 toward the operator. This shaft T has a hand-wheel, U, on its outer end. This hand-wheel revolves, as indicated by the arrow, when themachiue is operated. The movement of the IIO machine can be reversed in case the needleis to be raised, 850., by turning the hand-wheel U in the inverse direction of its arrow. The vertical part 0 of. the arm 0 is hinged by hinges w to a base, 0 on the plate F in such a manner that the arm (J can be turned or swung from the operator. A spring-latch,V, is pivoted to the part G of the arm 0, and catches on a stud, V, on the base 0 for the purpose of holding the arm 0 in its upright or normal position. When this arm isturned over or swung outward the rod D slides upward in the sleeve D I have constructed the arm 0 so that it can be tilted for the purpose of facilitating fastening needles into the needle-bar or hemmers, quilters, or other attachments to the head P. Furthermore, a very low box will be required to cover the tilted arm, whereas a large box would be required if the arm remained erect.

Theopcration is as follows: If the shaft E is rotated by a treadle or any suitable motor, the bevel-gear wheel 0 will rotate the bevel- .gear wheel 0 and the sleeve D which in turn rotates the rods D and D The bevel'gear wheel d, on the upper end of the rod D, rotates the bevel gear wheel d on the end of the shaft D, whereby the crank 11 will be operated and the needle A will be reciprocated vertically. The rod N resting on the earn 0, vibrates the take-up lever N. The gear-wheel 0 at the upper end of the sleeve D rotates the gearwheel e, and the bevel-gear wheel 0 rotates the bevel-gear wheel f on the shaft f. The bevel-gear wheel f 2 rotates the bevel-gear wheel 9, and the bevel-gear wheel 9 rotates the bevel-gear wheel which is mounted on the shaft h, causing a rotation of the same. Thereby the dog h, provided with the teeth m, will be raised, pushed forward,lowered, and withdrawn by the action of the cams m and m on the projections m and m By means of the connecting-rod H the U-shaped pivoted lever H is vibrated and the shuttle-carrier J is moved to and fro iuits slot J, whereby the shuttle will be thrown through the loop formed by the needle. The cloth is moved toward the operator. The motion is transmitteddirectly by means of shafts and gear-wheels in all cases, and belts and pulleys are dispensed with.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A sewing-machine constructed, substantially as herein shown and described, with the arm hinged to the top plate, whereby the arm can be tilted to facilitate inserting the needle and fastening sewing attachments to the head, as set forth.

H 2. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the top plate, F, of the hinged arm O,'the spring-latch V, and the stud or catch V, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the hinged arm 0, of the driving-rod D D provided with a universal joint, 0, substantially as herein shown and described, and

for the purpose set forth.

4. In a sewing machine, the combination, with the hinged arm 0, of the driving-rod D D provided with a universal joint, 0, and

having the lower part, D squared, and of the with the hinged arm 0, of the driving-rod D D, provided with a universal joint, 0, and a squared part, D of the sleeve D provided with a bevel-gear Wheel, 0, and of the bevelgear wheel 0 on the crank-shaft E, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the hinged arm 0, of the needle-bar 'B, the pivoted fork b, the crank b, the shaft D, the bevel-gear wheels d d the driving-rod D D provided with a universal joint, 0, and a squared part, D of the sleeve'D provided with a bevel-gear wheel, 0, and of the bevelgear wheel 0 on the crank-shaft E, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the crank-shaft E, provided with a. bevelgear wheel, 0 of the rotating sleeve Dflprovided with a bevel-gear wheel, 0, and with a gear-wheel, 0 the gear-wheel 6, connected with a beveled-gear wheel, 6, the bevel-gear wheel f, the shaftf, the bevel'gear wheel f the bevel-gear wheels g, 9 and g and the feeding mechanism of the machine, substantially as herein shown. and described, and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the crank-shaft E, provided with a bevelgear wheel, 0 of the sleeve D provided with a bevel-gear, c, and a gear-wheel, c of the gear-wheel e, the pivoted connecting-rod H, and the pivoted U-shaped lever H, and the shuttle-carrier of the machine, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. I

9. The combination, with the wheel 0 and the connecting-rod H, pivoted to the top of said wheel,and the shuttle-carrierJ of the U shaped lever H, connected at the slotted end of its long arm with said carrier and at the end of its short arm with said rod, whereby the shuttle-carrier is made to move on a line at right angles to that of the feed devices, as described.

10. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the reciprocating feeding-device frame W, of an adjustable fork, n substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a sewing-machine, thecombination, with the reciprocating feeding-device frame h provided with shoulders or offsets n, of the pose set forth.

12. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the reciprocating feeding-device frame 7L2, of the fork n and the pivoted lever L for adjusting this fork, substantially as herein shown and described.

13. In a sewing-machine shuttle, the combination, with the sections K and K of the hooks l and l and the spring-catch l substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose of holding the sections K K together, as set't'orth.

14. In a sewing-inachine shuttle, the combination, with the section K of the plate 7c ,1)rovided with a stud, the stud 70 the spring 75 and the hinged socket-piece Z, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

15. In a sewing-machine shuttle, the combination, with the section K of the plate k provided with a stud for holding one end of the spool, the screw 1, the nut Z for adjusting the position of the plate k according to the size of the spool, andof a hinged spring-stud for holding the other end of the spool, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

16. In a sewing-machine, the combination,

with the frame 0, of the pivoted arm 0, provided with a pintle, L and of the pivoted latch 0 substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose of holding the thread-spool L, as set forth.

17. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the shaft 1), of the fixed disk 10 and the movable disk 10", pivoted to a fork, 'I", pivoted to devices for adjusting it, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose of adjusting the tension of the thread, as set forth.

18. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with the shaft 19, of the fixed disk p, the movable disk p pivoted to the fork 7, pivoted to the frame M, and to a sliding rack, r, engaging with a pinion, M for operating it, substantially as herein shown and described, and

described, and for the purpose of adjusting the tension of the thread, as set forth.

THOMAS J. LE COUNT.

Witnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, O. SEDGWICK. 

